1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a speed limit control system for vehicles traveling on roads. More specifically, the invention is a speed limit control device for vehicles cooperating and completely complying with speed limit control signals on roads.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an acute need for an economic system for remotely controlling and limiting the speeds of vehicles traveling at speeds above the road's speed limit. The related art of interest describes various speed control systems, but none discloses the present invention.
The related art will be discussed according to its perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,295 issued on May 24, 1994, to Yutaka Fujii describes a vehicle speed control system used with a vehicle navigation system that provides information relating to the road being traveled on, including curves on the road. Sign-mounted transmitting devices send signals to the vehicle navigation system that will activate throttle and brake controls to automatically slow the vehicle if it is traveling at an unsafe speed to handle the upcoming curve or if the vehicle is above the posted speed limit. The intricate system is distinguishable for its automatic braking control, temperature sensors, magnetism sensors, alarms, and reliance on global positioning satellite system access.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,007 issued on Jun. 23, 1998, to Toshiaki Arai et al. describes an auto-cruise system for a vehicle comprising transmitters placed along a highway that take control of a vehicle's cruise control system. The transmitters detect the oncoming vehicle's speed and activates an audible warning and brake and throttle control circuits to slow the vehicle to the posted speed until the vehicle travels out of the transmitter's range. The system is distinguishable for its reliance on the vehicle's auto-cruise system for the transmitted control of an audible warning and brakes control of a speeding vehicle.
Japan Patent No. 6-36187 issued on Feb. 10, 1994, to Hiroshi Sekine describes a speed controller system which is a self-contained road navigation system for a vehicle that provides an alarm and automatic braking/throttle control when a vehicle is approaching a curve in the road at an unsafe speed. The system is distinguishable for its alarm and automatic braking system limited to curved roads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,198 issued on Oct. 6, 1998, to Gilboa Peretz describes a dynamically programmable automotive-driving monitoring and alarming device and system, wherein the transmitters mounted on a corner of traffic signs, not traffic lights as in the present invention, transmit the encode speed limit to the vehicle's alarm system which records and sounds an audible alarm with a library of digitized voice messages. The system is distinguishable for its use of transmitters on traffic signs, the recording of speed in the vehicle's computer and sounding an audible descriptive alarm in the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,794 issued on May 30, 1995, to Robert D. James describes an automated highway system for controlling the operating parameters of a vehicle. A vehicle is detected by the highway system by a transponder on the vehicle responding to an omni-directional radio frequency transmission from a highway control facility. The highway control facility interrogates the vehicle transponder for identification, destination, inter alia, to route the vehicle, schedule maintenance and provide user services. The facility calculates the location of the vehicle and energizes vehicle mounted actuators to steer, accelerate and brake the vehicle as necessary. The vehicle has a user interface unit whereby the driver can be informed of road, weather and traffic conditions. The user interface unit also permits communications by voice (microphone and loudspeaker), keypad, and CRT. The automated highway system is distinguishable for automating the steering, acceleration and braking of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,240 issued on Apr. 21, 1998, to Nobuyoshi Asanuma et a. describes a travel control unit for a vehicle passing through a curved road comprising a map information outputting device, a vehicle position outputting device, a travel control device for controlling the speed, and an alarm device which when activated would stop the travel control device when the vehicle deviates from the set course in a curve. A deviatable course determining device and the travel control device can then control the speed in negotiating the curve. The travel control unit is distinguishable for its emphasis on negotiating a curved road automatically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,005 issued on Jul. 21, 1998, to Eisaku Akutsu et al. describes a communications infrastructure system for vehicles comprising a plurality of beacons on a road transmitting repeated series of at least three kinds of signals. The vehicle has a receiver for receiving the beacon's signals, a unit for discriminating the kind of signal, a memory for recording a past record of the kind of signal, and a signal generator generating a signal corresponding to the past record. The system is distinguishable for emphasizing a system for identifying the vehicle's position on an up lane or a down lane for resolving traffic problems during an accident.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,057 issued on Sep. 8, 1998, to Firooz B. Eslaminovin describes a remote vehicle disabling and distress indicator system for a vehicle activated by an external telephone call or internally by a switch. The telephone call sends a signal which is received by the vehicle's modular telephone and the vehicle is disabled by deactivating the ignition coil or closing the fuel valve. A distress sign on the vehicle top is illuminated and a tape machine plays a prerecorded distress message. The system is distinguishable for its disabling function.
Japan Patent No. 54-55923 issued on May 4, 1979, to Hiroyasu Fukaya describes an apparatus for safety control of a vehicle negotiating a curved road. A road transmitter communicates with the vehicle's microcomputer to signal the vehicle of the allowable speed for negotiating the curve. The microcomputer sounds an alarm buzzer if the posted speed limit is exceeded by the vehicle. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to an audible warning signal in the vehicle.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, an economical speed limit control system which utilizes existing illuminated traffic signs is desired.